Animal control officer honored for life- saving efforts

The Draper Police Department and the Draper City Council honored
Animal Control Officer Dennis Wilson for saving the life of a resident back in
February. Wilson was recognized during the March 21 city council meeting.

Draper Police Chief Bryan Roberts addressed the council and
the attendees at the meeting, explaining that on
Feb. 8, the police department got a call that a man was being attacked by a
deer in the backyard of his home. Wilson was the first to arrive on scene.

“When he arrives, there’s panic around. When he goes into
the backyard, the man who lives at that house is pinned to the ground next to a
chain link fence and the deer’s antlers have pierced him in his thigh and in
his chest cavity,” Roberts said. “You can see the antlers going in and out.
This man had been fighting with the deer for several minutes.”

The
man later said that at the time Wilson arrived, he believed he was done and was about
to give up fighting the deer. Wilson then sprang into action and went hands-on
with the deer.

“He’s able to control the deer, remove the antlers from
being impaled into this man, frees the man so he can get out of there and go
into the house,” Roberts said. “There’s blood everywhere and he’s seriously
injured.”

Wilson then began his own fight with the deer, risking his
life in the process. Roberts said Wilson was able to pin down the deer and
other officers began
helping. The deer was later euthanized. It was discovered the deer
had been previously injured and that was the reason it began attacking the man.

Roberts praised Wilson for going
above and beyond the call of duty to help save the man’s life.

“Dennis saved a life. He saved that man’s life. He jumped in
with his hands and did those things,” Roberts said. “We’re here to present
Dennis with his life-saving
award.”